#what i would give for some darters | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

anubislover · 2 years

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Miscalculations and Misfits

The Big Daddy was hardly the most reputable tavern, nor the cleanest, but considering how the entirety of Joras had been damp, dreary, and full of people giving him and his crew suspicious glances, it suited Law just fine. He was a rookie pirate anyway, so the eighteen-year-old captain rarely felt any inclination to show his face in more respectable establishments. What mattered to him was that it was dry, the food was edible, the ale was strong, and there were only seven other customers, a barkeeper, a cook in the back, and a tavern maid manning the tables, so it was relatively quiet compared to most places a pirate might visit when seeking a meal not cooked in their own galley. Sure, a few people had still given questioning glares, especially since he’d walked in with a sword nearly as tall as himself and a polar bear, but for the most part the clientele seemed more interested in sharing grim stories or serenading the tavern maid with macabre folk songs. So, the quartet had ordered their food with the confidence they wouldn’t be chased out should anyone recognize the jolly roger on any of their backs.

Booted feet propped up on the creaky wooden table, Law linked his fingers behind his head as he regarded Shachi, Penguin, and Bepo. His oldest friends had uncharacteristically serious expressions on their faces, especially considering how they would usually be joking around and chatting loudly in most circumstances. Golden eyes narrowed in irritation. They hadn’t shown nearly this much resistance with any of his past recruits. Hell, the main difference between their new shipmate and the rest was the fact that he’d actually asked her to join, unlike, say, Darter who had simply declared he was trading in his serial killer career for piracy, or Crozier who had taken one look at a ship full of teens and decided they needed adult supervision.

Well, there was one other difference, he supposed, but if the guys were seriously giving him the stink-eye because a girl was joining the Heart Pirates, he might just remove their eyeballs for a bit. Ok, not Bepo’s, but only because his expression was more worried than judgmental. And it was infinitely cuter than the others, but he wouldn’t admit that, even on his death bed.

“Are you three seriously going to give me crap about the new girl?” Law finally asked, raising an eyebrow challengingly. “I wasn’t aware that ‘No Girls Allowed’ was one of my ship’s articles.”

Behind his sunglasses, Shachi rolled his eyes before sneering, “Oh, so sorry, Cap; here I thought we were looking to hire a new mechanic. Not picking up some eye candy.”

“She is our new mechanic; she’s the reason we weren’t screwed out of millions of berri for a new engine and instead just had to pay for a few new parts. She sure as fuck diagnosed the problem faster than Hikigaeru-ya ever could!”

The entire table’s expressions soured substantially at the name. All except Bepo who instead hung his head shamefully, the tips of his claws making soft clicks as they tapped together. He had nothing to be ashamed of, of course, but the polar bear Mink clearly still felt guilty. It had been three months since their former mechanic had been chained to a desolate rock in the middle of the ocean, his torso cut open to expose his organs and muscles to the hungry seabirds that flew overhead.

Cruel and unusual punishment? Yes, but the bastard had deserved it. The fucker had been smart enough to keep his racism against Minks mostly to himself for the six months he had sailed with them, but he’d belittled and tormented poor Bepo in private during his entire tenure as a Heart. And because Bepo was meek and a people-pleaser, he’d stayed quiet about it until Darter had brought up his concerns about the Mink’s increasingly depressive moods, and the captain finally made him spill the beans. No one should have had to endure that—least of all someone as good as Bepo.

Law was still kicking himself over not noticing that the now ex-mechanic had been mistreating Bepo. As much as he’d like to say anyone would have been fooled, the fact was he’d made a lot of mistakes since he and his friends had set out to sea two years ago. He’d been an angry sixteen-year-old with big plans for revenge. Even more aggressive and reckless at seventeen when he’d started making a name for himself but wasn’t seeing as much progress as he’d liked. That had unfortunately led to frustration, which led to more anger and recklessness, which had resulted in mistakes. Failures. His subordinates getting hurt both physically and emotionally. If nothing else, the realization that he’d failed to notice Bepo’s mistreatment for so long had been the wake-up call Law needed. As much as he wanted to destroy Joker and burn his empire to the ground, he had a duty to his subordinates. He’d never admit it aloud, but he loved those loyal idiots who were willing to follow him into Hell itself. He owed it to them to protect them as best he could. Starting with getting their submarine fixed and recruiting a mechanic that wasn’t a two-faced prick.

“Ok, let’s say she’s as skilled as you say. It’s true we need a mechanic, and those are in short supply. But the reason you sacked Hikigaeru wasn’t due of a lack of skill; it was because he was a massive dick to Bepo,” Penguin reminded him bluntly, crossing his arms across his chest. “You said you wouldn’t make the same mistake with his replacement.”

“I did and I’m not!” Law argued. It was true. With Hikigaeru, he’d been thinking only of the necessity of having a mechanic on board. He and the boys had managed to keep the Polar Tang running with the basic maintenance skills Wolfe had taught them, but it was vital to have someone who could actually repair a broken engine or diagnose problems. But he hadn’t considered the importance of assessing the man’s character as well as his skills. That had been a mistake, so this time, he was trusting both his brain and his gut. And they were both telling him that Ikkaku was perfect for the job and the crew.

Despite having just a secretarial job at the shipyard and being dressed in a crop top and shorts that should have guaranteed hypothermia, the girl had known her stuff. Her boss, Mr. Bowers, had told Law that the whole engine would need to be replaced—a costly job, to be sure. One any business would be thrilled to do for the amount of berri it would give them and would keep the Heart Pirates stuck on the dreary island for at least a week or two. But then Ikkaku had spoken up. Told Law that she did her own diagnostic, and the engine was easily fixed with just a few new parts that would cost him barely a tenth of what Mr. Bowers had estimated, and she could get it done herself in only four hours.

That had made quite the impression on Law. Ikkaku had risked her career to keep Law from getting swindled, standing up to an asshole boss for a guy she’d just met. He still wasn’t entirely sure why she did it; such altruism wasn’t exactly pirate-material. But she had guts, and the second she’d proven she could put her money where her mouth was and fix the engine as easily as she’d boasted, Law had already kind of staked his claim on her.

On top of that, Ikkaku had a quality that he’d realized the rest of the crew was sadly lacking—she was willing to call her superior out on his shit. As much as he loved the boys and how supportive they were, Law had come to realize that the Hearts were, at their worst, enablers. They always let him have his way. Darter cheered him on when he got sadistic and considered him an artist. Crozier was no-nonsense but firmly believed in following his captain’s orders regardless of whether they were the right ones. Malamute and Shiroiruka had been in a gang before joining him and eagerly did what their new boss told them to do. Not even his original trio of loyal misfits were willing to tell him “No” most of the time. Bepo was too meek while Penguin and Shachi still retained their fascination and hero worship from their younger years.

It figured that now, when he was actually getting his act together and found someone willing to give him some well-deserved shit, that his friends finally decided to push back. The irony annoyed him immensely.

“And yet the second she lays eyes on him, your new recruit literally shrieked in fear,” Shachi stated, bearing his pointed teeth aggressively. It was clear his defiance of his captain’s orders was solely due to his desire to protect Bepo, which Law could respect. He suspected much of it was due to guilt; he’d bullied Bepo in their youth, and even now still picked on him occasionally. Perhaps he’d seen too much of his younger self in Hikigaeru’s misbehavior. Perhaps he wished to make amends. A commendable reason, but sadly one that made him blind to the fact that Ikkaku wasn’t their enemy.

“Well, yeah! Most people are gonna be scared when coming face-to-face with a polar bear!” Law defended. Admittedly he did feel a bit guilty about that; he should have warned Ikkaku that the crew wasn’t entirely human, if only so Bepo wouldn’t feel self-conscious. He’d neglected to inform her as a joke—it was always funny to watch a newbie freak out when they were suddenly in the presence of a large bear in an orange jumpsuit. Usually, after some initial panic, they quickly realized he was basically a big teddy bear when it came to the crew. Only this time, Bepo’s skin wasn’t as thick. His wounds from Hikigaeru’s mistreatment were still too fresh. And he couldn’t have predicted that Ikkaku’s grandfather had been mauled by a polar bear in his youth and she’d grown up with nightmares from the story. Once again, he’d been reckless, though luckily his miscalculation hadn’t been too costly. Just some hurt feelings and misunderstandings that had been somewhat ironed out. Both parties had left the encounter shaken, but apologies had been exchanged, and Law was confident that his cute navigator would quickly endear himself to the new mechanic. Trauma aside, Ikkaku hadn’t seemed to care that he was a Mink, which was already a step up from Hikigaeru. In fact, she’d been quite contrite and ashamed of her reaction as Law had walked her to the edge of town after, asking him to pass on further apologies to Bepo and promises that she’d make it up to him.

Yes, Law had definitely screwed up with the introduction, but it had served to prove that he’d ultimately made the right decision with his new hire—he couldn’t remember ever hearing Hikigaeru apologize, even while the seagulls pecked out his liver. Mostly he’d just screamed, which had been quite the satisfying sound, but while Law had enjoyed it, it hadn’t really helped Bepo.

“I’m sorry,” the Mink whimpered, interrupting his train of thought.

“Ugh, you don’t need to apologize, Bepo,” he quickly amended, taking his feet off the table so he could reach across to pat his furry shoulder reassuringly. “She just wasn’t expecting to meet a bear. You’re an apex predator, remember? You’re supposed to be fuckin’ scary!”

“But I don’t want to scare my nakama,” the navigator replied, eyes watering a bit.

“And you won’t, because she’s not going to be nakama,” Shachi cut in, fists clenching. He hadn’t said two words to the new girl, but he’d already decided she didn’t belong, and nothing Law said would change his mind.

“Yeah, she is,” Law snapped, glaring at the redhead, practically daring him to keep defying his orders. It was getting more and more tempting to take him outside and beat the insolence out of him, but he refrained. Shachi standing up to him, especially in defense of Bepo, was ultimately a good thing, so he needed to solve this matter diplomatically. Or at least without physical violence. “I’m fetching her first thing tomorrow after she’s said her goodbyes and gotten her affairs in order. And even though she’s already apologized, the first thing I’ll have her do when she boards is apologize to Bepo again.”

“I’m not mad at her, Law,” the bear insisted, round ears drooping but expression a little less sad. “It’s not her fault she was scared of me. I’ll…I’ll give her some space for a few days so she can get used to everything, then maybe we could try again.”

While things weren’t going as smoothly as he’d hoped when this conversation started, at least Law seemed to be getting through to one of the trio. Considering how Bepo was the actual injured party in all this, his opinion held far more weight than the other two. Still, he’d rather have all three of them back on his side. Ikkaku didn’t need to come onto a ship full of hostility; he’d already seen her get dirty looks from her former colleagues, and he was sure he’d caught a few civilians glaring at her as they’d walked through town. He’d nearly insisted on escorting her the two miles through the moors to the lighthouse, but she’d claimed that she was safer outside of town than in.

She was a weird kid, but then again the island itself was pretty fucking weird. Joras was rather infamous among the North Blue. Stories of ancient horrors and the cultists who worshiped them were still told around the fireside to scare children. Arkham Hospital boasted incredible medical minds but also unethical practices. Lobster buoys were carved to look like grotesque human heads. The dead were cremated due to an alleged incident where corpses came back to life and wreaked havoc across the land. The birth rate of twins was unusually high, with some claiming they had psychic powers. Ten years ago, there had even been a plague that had caused the afflicted to go mad and bloodthirsty.

This island was fucked up, and Law could hardly wait to leave. Yes, places like the hospital were intriguing, but the fog was dense, the smell of fish and smog was far from appealing, and even he could say the feeling of paranoia and ennui that hung over most of the locals was extreme. It was clear Ikkaku didn’t belong here. Hell, she was the brightest, most vibrant thing he’d seen on the island, and he was looking forward to stealing her away from this place.

Now he just had to get the boys on the same page.

Turning towards his quartermaster, Law hoped Penguin would be more reasonable than Shachi. He’d always been a little bit calmer and more forward-thinking, even if his reckless streak was still a mile long. “Her completely understandable reaction to a polar bear aside, are you foreseeing any problems with my decision?” Not that it would change Law’s mind, of course, but if there was going to be a mutiny, he’d rather know what to look for so he could see it coming.

Mouth twisting in thought and irritation, Penguin replied, “Not to be sexist, but a woman aboard an all-male ship is gonna change the dynamic, Law. You’re smart enough to know that, right?”

“Lack of Y-chromosome or not, I’m expecting her to be treated the same as anyone else on the ship. Or did I recruit a bunch of brainless horndogs who only think with their dicks?”

“That’s not what I meant—”

“Good, because given how her old boss made her dress, I’m planning on giving her full permission to kick anyone that treats her like a piece of meat right in the balls. And I won’t be giving them painkillers after.”

All three boys winced. It was not an empty threat.

Clearing his throat, Penguin sought to explain himself. “I meant that having a girl around means a lot of adjustments are gonna have to be made. I doubt she’ll be comfortable bunking with any of the boys, so she’ll need her own quarters. For laundry rotation, is she going to be ok with somebody else washing her underwear and stuff? We have communal showers for fuck’s sake, Law. Even if none of us are attracted to her, it’s still going to be weird and awkward for everyone.”

“Me more than anyone else,” Law countered. Yes, he had considered the ramifications of a woman aboard the ship. He had to. He was the doctor, after all. “Don’t forget I’ll be giving her medical examinations, including some pretty female-specific ones.” Which reminded him, he’d need to brush up on birth control and pelvic exams and menstrual cycles. Luckily, he was hardly squeamish, though he could agree it would likely be a bit awkward to discuss these things with his new subordinate. But he’d meant what he’d said about her being treated the same as the rest of the crew, and that meant she’d be getting a full medical exam the moment they set out.

That did seem to mollify Penguin a little bit, as his shoulders relaxed and he sighed. “Alright, Captain. I’ll take your word for it that you’ve got everything all figured out.”

“Are you seriously gonna just roll over like that and let him win?” Shachi exclaimed.

“Hey, at least this way when it all goes to shit and Law looks like a fool, I get to rub it in his face and say ‘I told you so’ for once,” he chuckled, smirking at his captain. Yes, he still had his reservations, but if Law was really that fixated on making Ikkaku their engineer, there wasn’t really anyone who could stop him. Not even Ikkaku herself. If she’d refused his offer to join the Hearts, there was no doubt in Penguin’s mind that their next mission would involve kidnapping her before setting off for the next island.

Which, yeah, would be pretty shitty of them, but hey, they were pirates, after all. And at least their uniform was less ridiculous than what he’d first seen her in. Had Bowers really required her to dress like that? It was like he was trying to have her catch pneumonia or something. So really, this was beginning to feel more like a rescue. How unusually noble of his sadistic friend. The recent changes in Law’s habits and demeanor had not gone unnoticed by Penguin, and he was now curious to see how things would play out under this calmer, more forward-thinking Law.

Law could see the frustration lining Shachi’s face at having lost both his allies in this petty argument to his captain’s side. His own lips pursed in displeasure. It was an expression he usually saw in the midst of squabbles with Penguin; a sign the stubborn redhead wasn’t giving up the fight just yet, despite having clearly already lost.

Thankfully, before Shachi could start another argument, the tavern maid came over with their meals. She was pretty enough with a smile friendlier than most on the island, but like all servers, the sincerity of it could never be fully trusted. “Sorry it took so long, gents,” she said, setting down the heavy tray laden with plates of grilled fish, clam chowder, and steamed lobster. The cheap price for the latter had initially raised a few eyebrows, but the woman had explained that the surrounding seas in fact had an overabundance of the crustaceans, so it was rather common fare. “Had a feisty one in today’s catch. Nearly took the cook’s finger off. But I’m sure a group of strong lads like you are brave enough to brave these beasts,” she giggled, giving Law a flirtatious wink.

“If it’s already dead, I doubt much bravery’s needed,” Law said with a disinterested shrug, grabbing one of the pints of beer and a bowl of chowder, blatantly ignoring the roll that had come with it. “At least now we can shove food in Shachi’s face to shut him up.”

The redhead flipped him off in response, which Law nonchalantly returned.

“It’ll be ok, Shachi,” Bepo attempted to mollify as he eagerly tucked into a massive piece of fish. “It’s important that we have a good mechanic on the ship, and I trust Law’s judgement. And just because we had a rocky start doesn’t mean we won’t become friends. I mean, you and Penguin beat me up when we met, but we’re nakama now, right? Give her a chance.”

Both Penguin and Shachi tugged their hats over their eyes in shame while a small spike of guilt hit Law at the words. Fuck, Bepo was really too good. Yes, he was doing his best to not make another mistake that could hurt his navigator, but the fact that Bepo so easily trusted his decision despite his past fuckups proved that he really was a better friend than he rightly deserved. And he even forgave Penguin and Shachi for how they initially treated him and considered them his true companions. How was Bepo able to go through life having been hurt so often but not holding any grudges? It was a complete mystery to someone like him.

“Ya’ll hired a mechanic from around here?” the maid asked as she set out forks and spoons and knives for the table, not dissuaded by Law’s brush-off. It was her job to be charming, and there’d been plenty of gossip about the crew that had sailed in on a submarine of all things. Including an outrageous story that Mr. Bowers had gotten decapitated, but his head had still been talking and screaming even afterwards. That was odd, even by Joras’ standards. “Our docks have some of the best in the North. Even the Marines have come recruiting for bright lads to work on their new warships,” she added proudly.

Shachi quickly latched onto that little tidbit. “Hey Law, if your newbie’s so good, how come the Marines haven’t snatched her up?”

“Because she’s got taste,” he countered easily, taking a sip of chowder. Not really to his tastes, but it was hot and still better than anything he and the boys could make. Once they had their mechanic settled in, he should probably start looking for a proper cook.

“Probably took one look at those ugly Navy uniforms and said ‘Nah, man, I’d rather be a pirate and wear a badass boiler suit’,” Penguin joked, attempting to dissipate the tension. Really, this argument was getting tiresome. Law had already made it obvious he’d made his decision, and if Shachi wasn’t careful, he’d end up with worse punishment than laundry duty for insubordination. “I think you’re just worried that Ikkaku’ll wear it better than you.”

Before Shachi could deny it, there was a clatter as the tavern maid dropped one of the tankards of ale, eyes wide and jaw hanging as she stared at the young men sitting at her table.

“You…you’re pirates? Hiring the Light Keeper’s granddaughter?” the tavern maid asked. Her voice wasn’t especially loud, but apparently the horrified words had carried to the ears of every man in the building, with even the cook coming out to stare at them. The entire room went silent, full attention on the outsiders that had apparently committed some outrageous faux pas.

Law frowned and his brow furrowed in annoyance. He could tolerate being questioned by his oldest friends, but total strangers? A man could only put up with so much. If people kept bitching and moaning about his decision to take Ikkaku away, he might have to add some actual heads to the weird-ass buoys in the harbor. “Her old man is the lighthouse keeper, and yes, I’m hiring her,” he stated through clenched teeth, a vein on his jaw ticking with irritation.

“You seem surprised. Why? There something we should know?” Shachi asked, resting his chin in his palms as he leaned in intently. Finally, something to support his argument that the new girl was bad news! “Skeletons in her closet? Dark secrets she’s been keeping? Is she really an undercover Marine looking to infiltrate pirate crews?”

“Well, it’s just…”

“The girl’s cursed,” a grizzled fisherman a few tables over interrupted, turning in his seat to face the newcomers. He looked to be nearly eighty, though a life on the harsh North Blue waters easily could have aged him. “Aye, cursed since she were born. There’s a damn good reason she be named after a corpse whale, lads.”

“Oh, she’s killed someone?” Law asked, mildly amused. He had a literal serial killer in his employ, so that would hardly be enough to scare him away from making her part of his crew. Hell, if anything, he’d be impressed that she had a body count already. Made him more confident that she’d settle into pirate life easily.

“Her own twin brother. Took his life before he even left the womb.”

Four pairs of eyes blinked once. Twice. Three times in confusion. “That’s…it?”

“‘That’s it’?” the maid gasped, offended. “Twins are a sign of prosperity for a family. Her mother had already had one set, so a second would be twice as lucky. They were supposed to be a sign of great things to come. But instead, she was born and didn’t even have the grace to let her brother take his first breath! It should have been her that died!”

“Seriously?” Penguin asked, expression grim. “Unless you think a fetus could possibly have murderous intent, you people can’t possibly blame her for something like that. It’s tragic, sure, but it unfortunately happens, and it’s not anyone’s fault. Especially not the baby’s.”

“And why are you so upset that the girl lived? Shouldn’t the family just be happy one of the children is alive?” Bepo asked, already feeling sorry for Ikkaku. He understood that people with happy, comfortable lives usually didn’t set out to become pirates, but did people really believe she was a killer since the day she was born? And why was there so much emphasis being put on the fact that she was a girl?

“Blasted outsiders don’t know anything, do ya?” another man yelled, slamming his mug of beer onto the bar top with a furious thunk. This one was younger than the first, but was missing an eye and had the muscles that came from working long hours on the docks. “When a boy an’ a girl are born together, it means the lad is human, while the lass be the spawn of an Old One!”

There was a moment of dumbfounded silence before Law ran a tattooed hand over his face, torn between laughing at the absurdity and groaning in exasperation. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” Well, perhaps not the stupidest, but easily the top ten in Law’s book. “Firstly, I could give a whole list of reasons why that ain’t medically possible. Second, I don’t give a shit about your eldritch horror gods, and Ikkaku being some tentacle monster’s kid sounds like something out of a bad penny dreadful.”

“Yeah,” Shachi admitted, enthusiasm fading. He didn’t approve of the new recruit, but he wasn’t going to buy into such weird slander out of defiance towards her recruitment. He’d rather have actual dirt he could use against her. In fact, he was beginning to understand why Ikkaku was so willing to sail away with a bunch of pirates. “‘Yo mama banged a tentacle god’ is a great insult, but you people can’t actually believe that shit, right?”

“And thirdly, even if any of that were true, what the fuck is the correlation between ‘eldritch baby’ and ‘dead twin brother’?” Law finished, though he did give Shachi a quick, approving smirk. Oh, he hoped the redhead used that jab against some Marine. Or maybe that Basil Hawkins guy he’d seen in the paper. The weird magician would probably be far more insulted than the average sailor. Or he’d take it as a compliment. Seemed like the kind of weird thing he’d do.

The tavern maid shifted uncomfortably while the men scoffed. “Yer all a bunch of damned fools,” the old fisherman grumbled. “The Old Ones knew her oldest brother is blessed. Knew he’ll go on to do great things an’ climb up the Navy ranks. That lad’ll finally bring honor to this island’s name, but the Old Ones don’t like that. So they planted that wretched seed in her mother’s womb an’ set her out into the world to sabotage him. Startin’ by draining the life from his youngest brother.”

“Too bad a strong, handsome, intelligent man like Ushi couldn’t be stopped by a mere cursed child,” the maid said, resting her cheek in her palm and sighing dreamily. “He’s the hero we’ve been waiting for. A future champion of justice and someone who will bring glory to Joras.”

Law snorted at her clear infatuation, though he tucked away the relevant information for later. Ikkaku had a brother in the Navy? This could be a problem. Though, from the sound of things, they weren’t close. He’d have to grill her about it once she was settled in. He had no intention of rescinding his offer over it, of course—he just needed to know if she’d need to stay out of the way should their paths cross.

Marine or not, siblings shouldn’t kill each other. It was a rule Law held true to. The idea of a pirate killing their Marine brother was not a memory he wished to relive, nor could he fathom an older brother hating his little sister.

Out of the corner of his eye, Law noticed Shachi pull out his brass knuckles and start polishing them with a napkin. Meanwhile, Penguin had begun playing with one of the dinner knives that had been provided with their meals. Bepo was still eating his fish, but his ears were perked up and swiveling around, alert for any sounds that could signal trouble. Golden eyes flicked down to where Kikoku leaned against the edge of the table, her cursed blade eager for the prospect of tasting blood.

His attention returned to the other patrons, who were muttering in agreement at the woman’s claims. The old fisherman nodded with approval, though his face was still lined with bitterness. “In the old days, even the merfolk would’ve shunned that girl. She would’ve been raised in isolation until she turned sixteen, then returned to the sea as a bride to the Great Dreamer.”

“You sure we can’t still do that?” the barkeep chuckled, though it held no mirth. “The Light Keeper’s been guarding her since she was six. Basically the same thing, living alone with a crazy old man and his dog for a decade. There’s still time, if you think drowning her will appease something.”

“Don’t think we need to, if this lot’s taking her,” the one-eyed worker noted, his attention returning to the pirates seated at the table. “Be doin’ us all a service, taking her out t’ sea with ya. Though, it’s on yer heads if the Great Dreamer claims yer ship because of it.”

A few men laughed, but the tavern maid’s face was lined with fright. “No, we can’t let them take her!” she exclaimed, grabbing the old man’s arm desperately. “Don’t you see? We can’t let her be associated with pirates! What about Ushi?”

“Ya think Ushi could be killed by a cursed pup like her?” the old man scoffed.

“She’s doesn’t have to,” the barkeep pointed out, rubbing his chin in thought. “If the Navy finds out his sister is a pirate, it could reflect badly on him. Maybe even prevent him from becoming an admiral.”

There was a murmur throughout the tavern, several men commiserating before the old man at last nodded solemnly. “Aye, yer right. The lass must’ve bewitched these fools into taking her along so she could fulfill her dark mission.”

“She hardly ‘bewitched’ me,” Law pointed out, setting down his now empty soup bowl and finally bothering to chime into this ridiculous conversation once more. “If you all hate her so much, I’ll gladly do everyone the favor of getting her the fuck away from you freaks. Call it my good deed for the century.”

His cheek only served to agitate the mob, though Law hardly cared. He didn’t owe these people or their beliefs a lick of respect. Really, this island had gone through a booming industrial revolution in the past fifty years, yet they still held onto backwards beliefs like this?

Yeah, Ikkaku was definitely better off with a gang of pirates.

“If ya take her, she could jeopardize everything,” the dock worker growled. “This island’s reputation has haunted us for too long. But that’s all gonna change! Ushi is the one who’ll banish those old ghosts and allow us t’ truly prosper.”

“You talk about getting rid of a shitty reputation, but you’re not exactly doing much to prove it wrong,” Law pointed out. “Which is it? Do you not believe in your old ways, or do you still think a girl is the spawn of some weird god? Or do you not actually believe that one but pay it lip service because you need a scapegoat so you have a reason for why your lives are so miserable?”

The atmosphere in the room grew even more tense, Law clearly having touched a nerve.

“We’ll give ya one chance,” the old man said coldly, ignoring the question. He stepped forward and drew a knife from his wool overcoat. He’d apparently taken up point as the ringleader, the rest of the small mob falling in line behind him. “You an’ yer crew sail out. Tonight. Leave the lass behind. We’ll deal with her like we shoulda done when she were first born.”

The rim of Law’s hat cast an ominous shadow as he stated, “Counteroffer; you all shut the fuck up and return to your seats. My crew and I finish up our business on the island, then we sail away. With Ikkaku, as our new mechanic.” He could hear Shachi grunt behind him, though it didn’t seem to be in disagreement; sure, he didn’t sound enthusiastic about it, but it was clear he’d accepted that, despite his complaints, Ikkaku was coming with them. “My next offer involves you fucks ending up as a pile of limbs, so you’d be smart to back down now.”

“Fools don’t know what yer dealin’ with,” the old man sneered, pointing the dagger at Law threateningly. “Cursed or not, a pirate in the family could destroy Ushi’s dream! We can’t let that happen!”

The other men in the tavern shouted in agreement and leapt to their feet. Law stood, hand outstretched and tattooed fingers flexing eagerly, when the old man’s call to battle was cut short by a red-haired blur and a loud crack as his jaw was broken by a well-placed punch to the jaw.

Apparently surprised that the pirates were choosing to fight back instead of just allowing themselves to die at the hands of an angry mob, there was a moment where the other men stood still, which was more than enough time for Penguin to throw his knife in a precise arch, the blade easily piercing the dock worker’s remaining eyeball, completely blinding him. He screamed, prompting the barkeeper to throw a pint glass at Law before attempting to run. However, the thick glass was easily batted aside by Bepo before it could even get close to his captain’s head. In fact, his massive paw hit the glass so hard it flew across the room into the cook’s face, shattering on impact and turning the flesh into a bloody mess.

Before his crew could get their hands any dirtier, Law’s Room expanded from his, filling the tavern with a blue glow. “Takt.” Everyone who wasn’t a Heart Pirate, from patron to employee, levitated in the air as if lifted by invisible marionette strings.

“You idiots made a big mistake,” he said, voice eerily calm as he looked them over, gold eyes calculating. Assessing. The surgeon preparing the first cut. As if sensing this, Bepo handed him Kikoku, the Ōdachi’s long blade gleaming as he drew her from her sheath. “I don’t care about your beliefs. I don’t care about your reputation. I don’t care your pathetic little lives. What I do care about is my crew.”

“We’ll leave you alone!” the tavern maid screamed, terrified tears streaming down her cheeks. “I promise, we don’t have any problem with you pirates! You don’t have to do this!”

“Oh, but we do. See, you didn’t just threaten us,” Law stated, gesturing to the young men standing behind him, who glared at the crowd ominously. “You threatened Ikkaku. She’s a Heart Pirate now. That puts her under my protection. And you idiots threatened her. Mistreated her. And if this Marine brother of hers has a problem with her career choice, well, he can take it up with her captain; Trafalgar Law.”

Kikoku sliced through the air a dozen times in quick succession, the sound of screams filling the room as his victims were cut to pieces, legs, arms, and heads spinning around like balloons in zero gravity. He twirled his fingers, grinning as the body parts spun around like they were caught in a tornado. As much as Law wanted to relish their cries of horror and agony, he was a practical man, so he made another cut to neatly carve out their vocal cords, dumping them into his empty chowder bowl. It wouldn’t do for the screams to draw attention to the tavern, otherwise the Hearts really would have to sail off early, assuming they didn’t massacre the whole town.

“It’s tempting to kill you,” he mused, letting the old man’s head drop into his waiting palm. Curious, he studied the mangled jaw; Shachi had landed a good punch, and he could see the indents of his brass knuckles in the skin. Maybe he should get a pair with some raised letters for added insult. Or better, the jolly roger. His Man-At-Arms deserved some custom brass knuckles as a reward for stepping up when it counted for his crew. He’d look into it later. “But honestly, I prefer leaving you all like this. You’ve got a hospital further inland, right? I’ll leave you as a fun puzzle to solve. Put your doctors’ skills to the test putting you all back together. Oh, though they’ll be missing a few key pieces.”

Dropping the head, he raised his hand once more, crooking his finger to draw the torsos towards him, lining them up like soldiers before slamming his palm against each of them. “Mes.” Out popped their hearts, neatly stored in perfect cubes, still beating rapidly with fear. “I’m taking these. Might as well make a profit while I’m here, right? These’ll go for at least what Bowers-ya tried to swindle me out of with his shitty diagnostic. Something I’ll never have to worry about again now that I’ve Ikkaku as my mechanic.”

Satisfied, Law dispelled his Room, allowing the twitching body parts to fall to the floor like hail, scattered throughout the room in a grisly scene. He had no pity for whatever poor soul would discover the carnage, nor the doctors that would likely spend days attempting to put everyone back together properly. They were all likely no better, considering how easily this lot had fallen into the mob mentality against Ikkaku.

People were scum. Not that he hadn’t known that since he was a child. The world simply seemed to delight in proving him right.

He was pulled from his thoughts by Penguin, who strolled up to him, empty potato sack in hand. “Found this in the storage room,” he explained, already scooping up the hearts on the floor like they were apples Law had shaken loose from a tree. “Figured we shouldn’t walk through town with armfuls of organs. Those tend to draw attention.”

That earned him a nod of approval. A quartermaster was in charge of managing supplies and cargo, and that included his captain’s unique way of earning berri when they weren’t raiding ships or hunting for treasure. Penguin could be an idiot sometimes, but he took his job seriously. They all did.

Law really was quite lucky to have people like them. Made the world seem a little less scummy.

“I still don’t like it,” Shachi grumbled, kicking one of the arms that was trying to crawl away so he wouldn’t have to look Law in the eye, “but I guess Ikkaku can come with us. No one deserves to be stuck in a place like this.”

“I wasn’t asking,” Law retorted, though he was glad he finally had all three of his loyal, foolish friends back on his side. And hopefully the new girl would quickly find her place among them, just as his other Hearts had.

“Heh, personally, I’m starting to think she’ll fit right in,” Penguin said, slinging the bag over his shoulder with a grin. “She’s just as much of a weirdo misfit as the rest of us. Who better for a tentacle god’s spawn to sail with than an unlicensed doctor with creepy powers, a serial killer, an artic survivalist, some former gang members, a talking polar bear, and whatever the hell Shachi is?”

The redhead punched him in the arm. “Notice you didn’t put yourself in that list of weirdo freaks.”

“That’s because I’m the only one who isn’t a weirdo freak. Which in itself makes me a weirdo freak.”

While the two bickered, Bepo walked over to Law, smiling a bit. “I’m with Penguin,” he said softly. “She belongs with us. I think once she’s settled in, we’ll get along just fine.” Yes, there had been fear in the girl’s eyes when they met, but no hatred. No disdain. And once she’d calmed down, he’d seen other things, like curiosity and that gleam he’d seen in Law’s eyes when he thought he was being cute but didn’t want to admit it. And if his captain had taken to someone so quickly, he knew Ikkaku was good people. He had faith in Law’s judgement.

“If I am wrong about her, and she mistreats you, I’m ordering you to tell me,” Law warned, though he reached out to gently scratch behind the Mink’s ear, earning him a happy growl. He refused to make the same mistake twice, especially if it hurt his crew. But his gut told him he wouldn’t have to worry this time. Shachi would no doubt be watching her like a hawk, and hopefully Bepo would be more confident coming forward with his problems. His crew was risking it all to follow him on his quest—the least he could do was ensure they were happy.

He had a sudden, amusing vision of having the Polar Tang submerge while still in sight of the island so perhaps people would believe some ocean deity really had taken her. Then, assuming she was up for it, he’d ensure she got a bounty and a decent poster that could be mailed to Joras. Make the superstitious fools believe Ikkaku had risen from the depths to continue her god’s “mission” while at the same time causing some political trouble for her Marine brother.

Chuckling to himself, he slung an arm around Shachi’s shoulder, smirking a bit when the redhead grumbled that it wasn’t fair his younger friend was now taller than him. “Let’s get back to the Tang. You and Penguin need to set up Ikkaku’s new quarters, and Bepo’s gonna help me dig up a uniform in her size. Oh, and you can also clean and polish Hikigaeru-ya’s tools so they shine like new. He won’t be needing them anymore, and they’ll make a nice welcome gift from you to her.”

Shachi rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. He knew of all the punishments his insubordination could have gotten him, this one was merely petty rather than cruel.

Satisfied, Law led Penguin, Shachi, and Bepo back out into the cold, thick fog of Joras, pausing only to flip around the sign hanging on the Big Daddy’s door from OPEN to CLOSED.

#Fic: Miscalculations and Misfits #Heart Pirates #Trafalgar D. Water Law #Trafalgar Law #op fanfic #one piece #shachi #ikkaku one piece #bepo #one piece fanfiction #ikkaku #op penguin #one piece penguin #penguin one piece #op ikkaku #one piece ikkaku #I come back from the dead to write early Heart Pirates fanfic #sorry I'm not around very much on this account but hopefully my readers will get some joy from this

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ikkaku-of-heart · 2 years

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@abyssusinvo asked: Frustrations were beginning to mount within his crew and over such a small, unnecessary thing too! Drake was on the verge of calling the whole thing off but his men insisted that they get this done so that at the end of it all, they'd have the best Halloween costume of all the seas.

However, it seemed no matter what they did, they just couldn't get the wings on the harness to function properly! The measurements to the harness were correct as it would be intended to go around the back of his Allosaurus form (Something the took close measurements for despite the chagrin of a Captain needing to find a change of clothes afterwards) But the more mechanically focused part where the hinges were meant to move the wings into closing and opening automatically was not settled in properly nor functioning as they should.

It would be with no small sense of shame that he needed to resort to this one last attempt at keeping the holidays stress free for him and his crew and committing this act in secret, Drake sent a letter over news coo in the hopes of reaching a certain yellow vessel and it's engineer. Within the wax sealed letter lay these contents:

To Miss Ikkaku, I request aid of utmost importance, the holidays are upon us all and there is something of upmost importance that I need your assistance with once more. I do hope I can trust you to be discreet with this request yes? We should meet on the next island and it is then I will come to you.

, Drake

Unprompted

Panting as she lugged her heavy toolbox through the jungle, Ikkaku hoped whatever Drake was requesting of her was worth it. She hadn’t even found him yet and already she was ready to smack him with her wrench for all the trouble she’d gone through. Firstly, she hadn’t been the first one to read his letter - Darter had gotten his hands on it first, which got it promptly confiscated by Crozier, which led to the older man giving her a long lecture about how dangerous it was to go off with the captain’s rivals on secret missions and she shouldn’t be accepting love letters and whatnot from the enemy, all while Penguin, Shachi, and Darter mercilessly teased her about her “boyfriend.”

Thankfully, a series of whacks to the head had shut them all up, but she’d then had to deal with Uni’s questioning and judgmental look when they arrived on the island, as she’d needed him to use his far superior Observation Haki to tell her the Liberal Hind’s general direction so Drake wouldn’t have to meet her at the Polar Tang. Otherwise they’d both be subjected to even more teasing and scrutiny.

Yeah. Any request for discretion had gone out the window ages ago. He was just lucky Law wasn’t insisting on coming along, though she had very little doubt he’d either sent someone to trail her or was doing so himself. Both to keep her out of trouble and to get some juicy dirt on one of his rivals.

There was a commotion up ahead, and Ikkaku pushed past the tall ferns into a clearing to find Drake in his Allosaurus form, some kind of mechanical winged harness strapped to his back, the rest of the crew surrounding him.

Her eyebrows shot up, both surprised and impressed. So this was what he meant when he mentioned the holidays. Someone was attempting to outdo all his contemporaries with his costume this year from the look of things. "Well. Looks like someone plans on putting all the other Supernovas to shame at the next costume contest. I’m almost tempted to offer myself up as a damsel in distress you could fly away with. So, what do ya need my help with? Need me to add a flamethrower?”

#abyssusinvo #The Engine is the Heart of the Ship (canon)#Scales of Justice (Drake)#(Ikkaku is very impressed and will gladly dress up like a princess if the dragon wants one)#(it's her price for helping him out with the mechanics)

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onenicebugperday · 2 years

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@casperwyomingrex submitted: What species is this cute leaf darter?

I would need a location to give you some idea of species, but may not be able to narrow it down without seeing the wing patterns anyway! I can tell you that it’s a skipper butterfly, and that’s about it without more info :)

#animals #insects #bugs #submission #butterfly #skipper

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naerysthelonesome · 4 years

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The Sanctuary Scene

From Alastair’s POV

(I tried, okay?)

Start of fic:

Upon being securely locked into the Sanctuary, Alastair had swiftly moved to one of the bedrolls provided, and pulled out a book (Machiavelli’s The Prince- one he’d read many times before), trying as best he could to take his mind off of Thomas’ inescapable presence. He’d settled himself among the provided blankets and pillows, moving only to take off his jacket and flip pages.

Thomas apparently determined to make himself near impossible to ignore, walked about, observing anything and everything, and generally making himself a distracting nuisance. He’d even knocked over a candelabra at some point. It had taken every ounce of Alastair’s self-control not to look.

He continued to stare at his book with unseeing eyes, trying as hard as he could to concentrate on the story. There was, however, none of the curiosity that might have motivated him. He could just have picked up one of the books provided by Eugenia, who admittedly had quite good taste, but that would have required him to move from his inconspicuous perch. And drawing Thomas’ attention to himself just would not do.

He knew he’d made the right decision to follow Thomas all those evenings, and he would do it again in a heartbeat. But now they were locked together for Angels knew how long, their only key to getting out, far away in Paris. Paris. That city brought back memories he would rather not think of right then. Memories of ink against warm skin, sparkling eyes, and a boy that was nothing less than a painting in motion.

He shook his head and focused his eyes on the pages in front of him. He had successfully kept to himself for hours now; what were a few more? But the silence was starting to get oppressing, as were the eyes that seemed to periodically settle on him. He could not imagine what Thomas thought of their situation.

As if in response to that thought, the boy in question darter to the door and shook it. A valiant but damned effort.

“A little menacing that the Sanctuary bolts shut from the outside, isn’t it? I never thought about it much before”, He said, making Thomas jump slightly. He allowed himself to look as the boy turned toward him.

Thomas looked surprised at Alastair having spoken to him at all, but attempted conversation, nonetheless.

“I, er, suppose one might have to keep an unexpectedly dangerous Downworlder out or something”, he said, making sound but obvious sense, as was his way.

“Maybe”, Alastair replied with what he hoped was an amicable shrug, “On the other hand, it does give the institute a makeshift prison”. Idle conversation, but surely something to think about. He looked back down at his book and kept them firmly there as Thomas came closer.

He felt the other boy stare at him, unmoving. He could be thinking of any number of things. Maybe he was thinking of a response to what Alastair had said, or maybe about how ardently he hated him.

Thomas’ tone, when he finally spoke was demanding, almost angry. It shifted completely the comfortable energy that had started to establish between them.

“Why have you been following me around?”

Alastair’s breath hitched in his throat. Here was the question he’d been dreading all this time.

“Someone had to”, he said, for lack of a better answer. How was he supposed to tell Thomas that he had done it because he had wanted him to be safe? That he hadn’t wanted any harm to come to the person he should be feeling only apathy- or maybe shame- towards? How was he supposed to explain himself?

“What on Earth does that mean?”

Alastair nearly flinched, but kept his face impassive and eyes trained on his book. It was as easy to act unbothered, as it had been to act cruel. Alastair was no stranger to wearing masks.

“Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answers to, Lightwood”, he said with all the condescension he could muster.

Then Thomas did the first truly surprising thing he’d done all night. He sat down beside him, and the movement startled Alastair enough that he couldn’t stop himself looking up at the boy.

“I do want the answer”, Thomas said decidedly, “and I will not get up until you tell it to me”.

Well, damn him. Alastair could hardly blame him for wanting to know. He was owed an explanation, but that didn’t make the decision to give it to him any easier. He slowly closed and placed his book aside, steeling himself for the surely nerve-wracking talk that was headed his way.

He looked at Thomas, who was once again staring. Alastair had to admire the determinacy with which he was approaching a conversation with him.

“I knew you were taking extra patrols”, Alastair said truthfully, “And more than that- going out by yourself with a murderer on the loose. You were going to get yourself killed. You’re meant to take someone with you”. He only narrowly avoided sounding cross or accusatory.

“No thank you. All these people going out in pairs, announcing themselves every time they speak, unable to make a move without consulting each other- they might as well ring a bell to let the killer know they’re coming”, Thomas said scornfully, “And meanwhile, if you’re not on the schedule, you’re supposed to just sit around on your arse doing nothing. We’ll never catch the murderer if we avoid being out on the streets. That’s where the murderer is.”

The indignant expression Thomas was wearing, and the little speech he’d just made, amused him. He and his friends were all so alike. Alastair knew Thomas well enough to know that while those words may not have been entirely honest, the sentiment behind them was sincere. He had just so badly wanted the killer gone.

“Never before have I heard such a concise statement of the ludicrous philosophy with which you and your school friends go through the world, running toward danger.” His arms were starting to hurt, so he stretched them out over his head, and went on, “But that’s not why you were doing what you were doing. There’s a little truth to what you just said, but not the heart of it”.

“What do you mean?”

“You couldn’t save your sister, so you want to save other people.” he said, hoping he wasn’t going too far, “You want revenge, even if this isn’t the same evil that took Barbara- it’s still evil, isn’t it?” The look in Thomas’ eyes confirmed that his assessment was true, so he continued, “You want to behave recklessly, and you don’t want your reckless behavior to compromise a patrol partner’s safety. So you went alone.”

Alastair had understood his motivations easily enough. Thomas was complicated, but he had never been hard for Alastair to read. At the heart of him, he was simply good, and kind, and fiercely loyal. It was a miracle his friends hadn’t seen through him.

“Well, I don’t believe that you really think we’re stupid,” Thomas said, “Or that we willingly court danger for danger’s sake. If you believed that, you would do more to stop Cordelia spending time with us.”

Outwardly, Alastair scoffed. But it seemed Thomas was not the only person easily read.

“My point,” Thomas went on firmly, “is that I don’t think you believe the rude things you say. And I don’t understand why you say them. It doesn’t make any sense. It’s as if you want to drive everyone away.”

The audacity of Thomas to believe that Alastair was any sort of good; the nerve he had to believe he was rude for anything but selfish, cruel reasons- Alastair had never wanted to embrace another person so badly for being wrong.

“Why were you so awful to us in school? We never did anything to you”. The words were not spoken with any venom, and yet, they stung. Alastair winced.

For the first time, he really considered letting someone in. He needed someone to know the truth of his actions. Cordelia was the only one who even remotely understood why he had done the things he had done, and although he still felt his behavior inexcusable, telling her had been a small comfort.

But the words would not come easy.

“I was awful to you… because I could be.”

“Anyone can be a bastard if they want to be,” replied Thomas, verbally batting away his answer, “You had no reason to do it. Your family are friends with the Herondales. You could have at least been kinder to James.”

He could have been. But he had had a reason.

“When I got to school,” Alastair said, forcing himself to breathe; he had never spoken about this before. It had never been easy, and it wasn’t now- “loose talk about my father preceded me. Everyone knew he was a failure, and some of the older students decided I was an easy target. They… let’s just say that by the end of the first week, I had been made to understand my place in the hierarchy, and I had the bruises to remind me should I ever forget.”

Thomas seemed to be having a hard time wrapping his head around what he had just said. And understandably so. Alastair wondered if he’d always appear the bully in Thomas and his friends’ eyes.

Thomas didn’t inclined to talk just then, so Alastair went on before he lost the nerve, “After about a year of being knocked around, I realized I could either become one of the bullies, or suffer the rest of my school days. I felt no loyalty to my father, no need to defend him, so that was never a problem. I wasn’t very big- well, you know what that’s like.”

He looked at Thomas then, noting the broad, strong width of him, and the way his shirt sleeves hugged his arms. He didn’t miss the way he seemed to shrink back into himself at the gaze. Alastair looked away.

“What I did have,” he said, “was a savage tongue and a quick wit. Augustus Pounceby and the others would collapse laughing when I cut some poor younger student down to size. I never got my hands bloody, never hit anyone, but it didn’t matter, did it? Soon enough the bullyboys forgot they’d ever hated me. I was one of them.”

None of what he had said earlier had been an excuse. In a game of hurt or be hurt, he had chosen to hurt. It had been self-preservation, but it had still been selfish.

“And how did that turn out for you?” Thomas said, with distaste.

Alastair had no misconceptions regarding the consequences of his decisions, so he met Thomas’ glare and replied, “Well, one of us has a close knit group of friends, and the other has no friends at all. So you tell me.”

“You have friends”, Thomas said, but a hint of doubt crossed his face even as he spoke the words. It was unsurprising to Alastair that Thomas had not paid him enough mind to have ever realized otherwise. Why would he have?

“Then you lot arrived, a bunch of boys from famous families, too well brought up to understand at first what went on far from home. Expecting the world would embrace you. That you would be treated well. As I had never been”. He was unable to restrain the jealous tinge in his voice. “I suppose I hated you because you were happy. Because you had each other- friends you could like and admire- and I had nothing like that. You had parents who loved each other. But none of that excuses that way I behaved. And I do not expect to be forgiven.”

Alastair felt close to tears as he came to the end of his story- physically exhausted- and his hands were shaking. But he did not regret it. He hoped Thomas would not cause him to regret it either.

“I’ve been trying to hate you-” Thomas said in a quiet voice. The response did not faze Alastair. It was what he deserved. “-for what you did to Matthew. You richly deserve to be hated for what you have done.”

It was true that Alastair had hurt Matthew in terrible ways, but he had hurt Thomas as well. He was tired of Thomas’ refusal to acknowledge it. What he had said about his family more that warranted Thomas’ own hatred of him.

“It wasn’t just his mother I slandered. It was your parents, too. You know it. So you don’t have to- to act all high-minded about this. Stop pretending you are only upset on behalf of Matthew. Hate me on your own behalf, Thomas.”

“No”, Thomas said, then paused.

The word brought only a fleeting comfort with it, and Alastair waited for the other shoe to drop, for the blows he deserved to rain down upon him, this time deserved. But they did not come.

“The reason I cannot hate you is because- because of those days we spent in Paris together,” Thomas said, and the words damn near stopped Alastair’s heart in his chest, “You were kind to me when I was very alone, and I am grateful. It was the first time I realized you could be kind.”

The tears that had threatened to come up earlier, nearly made their presence known again. H stared at Thomas with lucid eyes as he tried to process those words. Memories came back to him unbidden, and he heard himself say, “It is my favorite memory of Paris as well.”

“You don’t have to say that. I know you were there with Charles”. That was all it took to wrench him out of his mind and back to the present. He felt his defenses go up again at the mere mention of his former lover.

“Charles Fairchild? What about him?”

“Wouldn’t that be your best memory of Paris?” Thomas replied, undeterred.

Consciously, he knew there was no danger here. Thomas would never use this information against him, and besides… he had his own secrets. This did not keep him from responding defensively, as he was wont to do, when it came to Charles. “Exactly what are you suggesting?”

“I’m not suggesting anything. I’ve seen the way you look at Charles, the way he looks at you. I’m not an idiot, Alastair, and I’m asking…”

Time seemed to stop as Thomas shook his head and sighed, coming to some kind of abrupt decision. A decision that began with words that as good as ripped apart Alastair’s defenses yet again.

“I suppose I’m asking if you’re like me.”

End of fic.

This turned out so much longer than expected- If you read it all the way through, you likely have a slight obsession.

#thomastair #the sanctuary scene #chain of iron #chain of iron spolers #alastair's pov #alastair carstairs #thomas lightwood #this was NOT as easy to write as i thought it'd be #I think i've maintained canon-compliance but idk #it's 5am here guys. please be nice #idk if i should do the second part?#i don't know if my writing is worth the effort D:#i have never written anything this long im-

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the1918 · 4 years

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2020 for the1918

Am I the last person to make this list? Maybe. Do I regret that? Yes. Am I making it anyways because my cognitive behavioral therapy is teaching me fix my avoidance issues? Also Yes.

Let’s do this: @The Trees In Front of Cevans’s House and @Bucky’s Arm... you da real MVPs.

But other than them...

Thank You to Everyone that Truly Made My 2020:

@cantabile-l Jo (Daddy Dumpster™ Co-Founder) — I have to list you first. How could I not? Every friendship I’ve made in this fandom comes back to you. We literally bonded over porn lookalikes and started this craziness called the Stucky Porn Lookalikes Archive ( @stucky-lookalikes-archive ) to preserve the porn, and it now has now has 85k hits and 500 bookmarks (!!!?!!). But it’s more than that, even more than starting the Daddy Dumpster™ and bonding over culihos. Bespoke got finished because you got me excited enough to want it, just like half a dozen other fics. You were also the basis for many, many other friendships that I list below. Your nesting head canons were the inspiration for so, so many A/B/O moments in my fics. We’re so on the same length on an intellectual and spiritual level (I feel like you and me and @ixalit are three parts of one whole ❤) and I am in love with you for it. Culihos forever.

@hanitrash Hani (O.G. Dumpster™ Citizen) —I’m so, so damn glad you’re in my life. We share that sick sense of humor and refusal to adopt a filter. You add flavor to our Dumpster™ with your wit, and I feel so warm when you share pics and updates about the family with us. You were the first person I ran to when I “discovered” HTP and you held my hand 😂 And Jesus—your talent. I could go on and on and on about Through The Darkness I Heard Your Voice and Private Showing, but also one of my New Year’s resolutions is to start reading your work as Loralynne Summers. Thank you for making me smile every day of last year since April.

@trekchik Jini (O.G. Dumpster™ Citizen) — I can’t speak to the number of laugh-out-loud, belly-grabbing, cackling moments I have had in a year that could easily have been shit otherwise, all because of you. I feel like you’ve truly become a member of my family; like, I see you posting in the Dumpster™ when I wake up in the morning and I think to myself, “Oh, what’s the fam up to today?”. I know I’ve gone on and on about your talent (absolute queen of dialogue and pacing) before, but I don’t thank you enough for keeping the Porn Archive alive when the rest of us are slacking. Your Stucky Tumblr Drabbles (especially the meet cutes) puts a smile on half the fandom’s face regulary, and I’m excited to re-read the wonderful Anagnorsis & Peripeteia soon. Here’s to another year of weird dildo pictures.

@thegodswife Amanda (Dumpster™ Citizen) — I feel like we were literally destined to become friends. The love I feel for you and your little family is real and immense, and I feel like your victories (in life and in writing) are my victories. You have made a slow but steady convert of me to Shrinkyclinks with fics like peaches and because it's christmas, and I am in awe of your talent for writing charged dynamics with jaw-dropping moments. This fandom is lucky to have such a gem as you. 2021 is going to be the Year of Amanda (*clinks Lindeman’s Framboise glasses 🥂*)

@ixalit Max (Dumpster™ Citizen) — My relationship with you has and continues to be lifechanging for more reasons than I can even go into on tumblr. You make me laugh. You make me cry (usually in good ways). You make me horny by supplying the #porn-and-fun as the dutiful resident horny teenage boy of Dumpster™. I remember so clearly when we first messaged talking about your Evanstan thoughts and fics, and I knew your writing was special then (omg, Hiraeth?? How dare). You deserve all the success you earned in 2020 and every bit more success that you will continue to have this year. There is no one else I would rather have with me as we make this ~journey through Song of the Rolling Earth together.

@becassine Bex (Dumpster™ Citizen) — What can I say about my lucky charm? 🍀 I found our friendship later in the year and I feel it was truly central to the way I finished out my year with a bang (lol). Your encouragement to finish Bespoke supercharged me, and I’m still riding that high in writing SoRE. But for every bit we talk about you being the Queen of Hype (Becassine, First of Her Name), I am also stunned by your own gorgeous writing. The Way I Feel For You is a gift to this fandom and it’s gonna keep rocking our world, along with any other creative endeavor you choose to embark on. Thank you for the treasure of your continued friendship.

@darter-blue Bec (Dumpster™ Citizen) — My gorgeous, gorgeous cunt of a friend. What ever am I going to do with you? I feel like you and I have clicked so perfectly and so instantly, and I feel such a strong connection to you. I have been enamored with your skill and your style since I first stumbled across your Sergeant Barnes and Colonel Rogers: A Love Story series and then rapidly gobbled up your other writing. Getting to collab with you on No Vacancies was a dream come true. You make me feel so connected to the outside world and humanity even in this bizarre time and even though you’re on the other side of the world.

@kalee60 Kel (Dumpster™ Citizen) — You flawless sass-master. You brilliant human. You tricky little bastard. What a perfect addition to the Dumpster™ you have been! And your talent, Jesus... just being around you makes me want to write. I have truly never seen someone with as much talent write so prolifically, and I am in very real awe of it. If I had to pick “Fic of the Year” for me, I would not hesitate to pick Push The Button—it turned my world upside down—but for as much as we talk about that epic, your AU Extravaganza is really miracle to behold. And I am so, so pumped for you during this exciting time coming up in your life. Here’s to magnificent year for you in 2021!

@andysmountains Andy Gator Lord 🐊 — You’ve changed my life. I’m sitting here and I honestly don’t know how else to put it. You’re hilarious and you’re a ball of sunshine and you have kept this breeder feeling rooted to reality (in a great way) and remembering how to smile during some of the shittiest times I can remember. Newts. You’ve helped me explore my identity, and I’m not sure what greater gift you could have given me. Also, I’ve never heard true love whispered more sincerely than when I see 🔪—and I would give you nine hundred and ninety-seven 🔪 now if not for the fact that you have literally beat me to it.

@ceratonia-siliqua Cera — We’ve shared so much. I feel so privileged that you’ve picked me to be a person that you want to talk to during hard times because you’re such a special guy, and because you’ve got talent that the world needs to see forever and ever and ever (I continue to blown away by what you did in Sunshine, and none of us are ready for Quilt Fic™) and I hope you never stop writing your whole damn heart out. I truly love you. I do. Thank you for reminding me that there is endless humanity and prose in this world.

@howdoyousleep3 K — I feel like 2021 couldn’t be starting off better now that you’re in my life again. Last year was largely defined for me by the time I spent with you, and I’ve truly been changed by you and your writing. You are an endless amount of inspiration for me and this whole community; I would bet real money that the number of Daddy Kink converts that owe their new *interest* to finding your Daddy Steve Rogers/Baby Bucky Barnes series numbers in the hundreds (not to mention your other AUs). But fics aside, I had so many smiles and laughter throughout 2020 because of you, and I owe such a big part of my happy heart to you and your presence in my life. You have a huge, caring heart. Cheers to Cevans continuing to be a giant, bro-ish man slut and us never stopping giving him shit for it — and here’s to Trucker Bucky and his bug.

@lullabybeauty Bee — I’m not sure I would still be writing if it weren’t for you. The interest you took in my fics and endless support you’ve provided have turned me into a real-life 🥺🥺🥺 face so many times I can’t count them. But more than the hype you provide, you are an amazing person, and I hope you never stop putting (and ceaselessly keeping) the word out in our community through your blog that Black Lives Matter and black women matter now and forever; it’s far too easy for those of us who are white to let that truth fade from our minds when there’s not something terrible happening in the news, and I’m so thankful for your posts filling up my dash with reminders I need to be a good ally and giving me information to share with others. Thank you for the gift of yourself.

@ywecanthavenicethingsanymore Caroline—You sort of swooped out of nowhere for me and boosted my confidence through the roof. Your comments and your hype and your hilarious tags remind me every day that writers are only half of the fanfiction equation; all we do without supportive friends like you is sit in the corner dreaming of stories we don’t have the confidence or feel-good to put to words. Thank you for your constant support and for being so. damn. cool.

@littlesurfergrl Heather—Oh, Heather. Queen of the A+ tags. Sender of inbox updates about what time you get off of work and why you’re vibrating to read a fic. All-around beautiful person. Your love and support is magic in my veins.

@hoeforthegays Baby J—I am so damn excited for this creative project you’ve taken on; you are so talented. I look forward to our thirst talks all the time. You make me laugh with your screaming and even your advice. Such a source of sunshine in my life.

@capbvckyrogers / @tae-withsuga Cam — You were the first person who ever reblogged a farmer daddy post. You were the first person who ever sent me a prompt. Honestly, you were the first person who ever bonded with me over a character. There zero (0) chance I would have enjoyed fandom (or certainly any kind of creative success) the way that I did in 2020 if not for you. Thank you, endlessly.

@justice-for-plums Kenz — Another “late in the year” friendship find that I am so grateful for. I love our talks! I am so thankful you felt comfortable to reach out and talk about writing. Our workshopping has helped remind me of what works and what doesn’t for me, and I love the creative collaboration on head canons! Excited for more in 2021.

Shrunkyclunks Bitches®, or those not mentioned already above: @dreadlockholiday (co-founder of the Bitches® with @justice-for-plums and #1 reason I blushed last year), @oh-i-swear-writes @wayward-lives @allegedlyann and others I either am missing on tumblr or forgetting (but not because I don’t love you) — Here’s to Cap Steve and modern Bucky and 1,000,000+ words written during our writing sprints in 2021. [Bitches® server membership is open by the way! If you love Shrunkyclunks, contact Dready @dreadlockholiday].

And to the endless list of others who made me smile, laugh, sometimes cry, feel proud, but always feel that incredible Stucky love — a list that includes but is certainly not limited to @fishcustardandclintbarton, @hawkeyeandthewintersoldier, @willbakewithstucky, @hannah-stagram, @thewaythatwerust, @bigbraiiin, @musette22, @luninosity, @fandomfluffandfuck, @maddiewritesstucky, @hbalbat, @doctorenterprise, @epicstuckyficrecs, @k347 and the massive important people I know I am forgetting (...like some BIG ones)

To everyone above and anyone else who has scrolled this far:

Thank you.

Let’s all have a fantastic 2021 🥂

#thank you post

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medicus-mortem · 9 months

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ikkaku-of-heart: @ikkaku-of-heart

"Those rumors are bullshit because that would require you to actually eat breakfast,” Ikkaku countered without hesitation. Her sass had been coming out more in the past few weeks after that reassuring talk she and Law had had under the stars. She was definitely willing and able to point out the bad habits he had that he would have instantly scolded the crew over, like not getting proper nutrition. Still, his assurance that he wouldn’t make her eat a human heart or anything allowed her to relax just a little bit. Not entirely, though. She absolutely believed that he still had something up his sleeve. She just hoped it wouldn’t be anything disgusting. She already felt gross enough, having to play her part as “one of the guys” and not getting to wash her hair properly or use flowery soap. It was a small price to pay for acceptance, though. It hadn’t been easy, sacrificing all of her more feminine habits, but it would help her fit in. Help her maintain some respect. She was slowly gaining it from her shipmates. Law had shown he accepted her before she’d even stepped onto the ship by destroying the Arkham doctors statue. She and Bepo had overcome their initially rocky first meeting. Penguin had been welcoming and taken her under his wing to help her find her way around the winding corridors of the submarine. Darter’s weirdness could be off-putting but he was genuinely friendly. And Crozier had even been learning how to play a few songs from Joras on the guitar to make her feel less homesick. The only one she felt unwelcomed by was Shachi. His sharp-toothed smile always seemed more hostile than friendly when he’d tease her about what hazing rituals Law was sure to put her through. Penguin had told him off a few times for it, but he’d also warned her that Shachi’s behavior was due to the Bepo incident. So clearly, she’d fucked up, and Ikkaku hoped that whatever this third part of her initiation was, it would be enough to earn her the forgiveness and acceptance from the Man-at-Arms. She’d let Law terrify her a thousand times a day and Darter cut off all of her toes if it meant the crew accepted her. “Could you at least give me a hint?” she asked Law, feeling nervous. “Like, will I have to bathe in blood? That shit takes forever to get out of my hair. Or...well, Shachi also implied I’d have to fight everyone in hand-to-hand combat at once. Or that I’m not officially part of the crew until you’ve given me an anatomy lesson with my own organs. He...says a lot of things on what it’ll take to make me a Heart.” Realizing she sounded like she was tattling on a senior officer, Ikkaku forced a laugh and a grin. “That’s probably just him making sure I’m ready for anything, though! So, nevermind that hint thing. Don’t wanna spoil the surprise!”

“Careful now,” Law says, giving Ikkaku a small smile even as he flinches a little at the truth in her snark. “Pointin’ out my bad eating habits could be considered insubordination.”

It’s clear in his tone that he isn’t serious. He’s accustomed to his crew pointing out his shitty self-care. Sometimes he takes it in good humour, sometimes he doesn’t. Depends on his mood. Right now, he’s in a relatively good one. Made all the better as he watches Ikkaku get more and more integrated with the crew. Her reaction to Bepo made things rocky but he gets it, given her grandfather’s experiences and what she’s grown up with. The two seemed to have moved past that though and Bepo seems to really like her. He’s happier and not withdrawn like he was with that other racist engineer. Law won’t ever forgive himself for that, even if the asshole has long been eaten alive by sea birds.

Ikkaku is opening up more. Seemingly less awkward and becoming more comfortable, but Law has decided to learn from his mistakes and pay more attention to his crew. In this case that means watching closer to see how his new engineer is getting on with the crew and watching her own emotional state, as much as someone like him can. Law has noted she doesn’t seem perfectly comfortable. He hasn’t pinpointed what it is yet but something isn’t genuine here. Like, Ikkaku needs to hold back something about herself. Law understands that, his whole deal is secrets and keeping people at arm’s length, but he doesn’t want that for his crew, his family, and Ikkaku is now part of that.

She continues, sounding nervous as she asks for a hint. She almost sounds afraid. Law quickly grimaces at the suggestion that he makes her bathe in blood. A protest is almost out of his lips but Ikkaku keeps going and her words give him pause. Shachi has always been a prankster and trouble maker but these suggestions sound uncharacteristically cruel. Like he’s trying to scare her or intimidate her off the ship. Law’s eyes narrow, his jaw tightening. Head lowers, shadowing his eyes from view as he thinks on this revelation. Is Shachi bullying Ikkaku because of her reaction to Bepo? Seems like this captain might need to have a little chat with his Man-At-Arms. Get him to get his head out of his own ass for a bit.

“Don’t listen to Shachi,” Law says, standing straighter as some determination settles in. “He’s a dick head. We do have a fighting tournament every now and again to keep our skills sharp but I wouldn’t make you take on everyone at once, not unless I think you could handle it. Bathing in blood would be fucking disgusting and so damn unhygienic. Not happenin’, ever. The anatomy lesson only applies to anyone joinin’ my medical team. So, not a you thing.

“Now,” he continues, frowning at Ikkaku. “Since you mentioned your hair. It’s looking a bit greasy. Don’t know much about curls but pretty sure that much engine grease in any hair isn’t good for it.” Was that rude? Maybe, but given Ikkaku’s reaction to the idea of blood in her hair Law suspects this level of dishevelment in those curls isn’t normal. Maybe Shachi’s bullshit and Ikkaku’s nerves are affecting her own self-care habits.

#ikkaku of heart #captain's log // threads #captain of hearts // canon verse #surprise initiation

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fishcommunity · 3 years

Note

Funny that you just posted pumpkinseeds, I've been meaning to ask a question about them! I'm very interested in keeping them someday. They seem to get pretty big so what tank size would you recommend, and how about tankmates? US native fish preferred, but they don't need to be state specific. I do live in PA though.

I feel it! Sunfish are among my favorite fish, they are hardy, intelligent, and the males are beautiful. As a genus, though, they are pretty aggressive. Think of them as cichlids (which they are ecologically similar to).

Pumpkinseeds as adults range from 4 to 16 inches, though I'd wager you are unlikely to raise one above 8 inches in a home aquarium. Singletons are somewhat waspish but manageable, pairs can be incredibly rough on tankmates. I'd use a 55 gallon as a starting point for a singleton with tankmates or a pair alone. If you want more than 2 Pumpkinseeds, I'd look in the 125 or 150 range as a better starting point.

For tankmates, a singleton would probably get along with some of your native darters, sculpins, and Minnows. Longnose Daces, Blacknose Daces, Spotfins, bluntnose Minnows, and fathead Minnows are all valid choices. Pairs or groups of Pumpkinseeds are too rough on any but the hardiest of tankmates - maybe the bluntnose and fathead Minnows, they are big and boisterous. I give good odds on them.

By the way I have a blog on native fishkeeping, @thenativetank, feel free to follow me there!

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omegathebadbach · 2 years

Text

So I love see how clones form Star Wars the clone wars and Star Wars the bad Bach how Thay love you and so on I decided to do one so hare go and sorry if I miss splitting some things as I am autistic and if you like them I will do more.

——————————————————————

Hunter.

He is happy to see a woman like you at he asked omega to say hello to you as he was very shy because of his high senses but he soon warms up to you.

He and his team especially omega see you for who you are omega definitely love you as much as hunter and his team.

Onetime he saw you confronting omega form a nightmare and she whispered in her sleep at she love you she say I love you mum it almost made you cry feeling happy at she called you mum he had a few tears in his eyes at his darter call you mum like he was called dad.

His team see at you are both a very good looking couple at Thay had accepted you into their squad.

——————————————————————

Tech.

He was a very quiet guy when he saw you he say to himself she is a very pretty woman but she would never like a guy like me to have her.

He soon saw what you was thinking about he soon started talking to you about different things and he did not believe at you listened to him he then ask you what you like and he listened whist you talk to him.

You had met his team and They had accepted you in to there squad because They saw how tech had been more happy at you came into his life.

——————————————————————

Echo.

He remembered you from the clone wars he remembered at you was a nurse in his ex squad the 501st as you helped kix a.k.a. Medkix when he and his brother fives got hurt you had patching him up waste kix was patching fives up he was giving fives a very long lecture on why he and his twin got hurt.

When you had saw him he told you about fives you was sad at his twin brother was gone you and him were sad he say to you at he love you and you just hugged him and you told him at you did too.

When he had a nightmare about the cinldel incident or his twin fives death you stayed whit him and he told you what upset him whist you and him had a drink in the lounge/dine area where the squad found you and him asleep the next day.

——————————————————————

Wecher.

He love you instantly he thought you was a very lovely woman and he thought you was a lovely little princess.

You love how cute he was and how handsome he was and how strong he was at you called him a strong man.

You and him love whit omega mantel-mix.

The squad saw how cute you both looked like and at someday you two would get married.

——————————————————————

Crosshair.

When hunter introduced you to his squad Crosshair was very quiet towards you at you often herd some he muttered under his breath.

When he had a nightmare you stayed whit him in the lounge area where he and you had fell asleep and his squad saw how cute you both were the next day.

He told you he love you and at you love him.

He saw at you was not only a woman but a loving woman and he loved you so much.

—————————————————————

A/n: hay so see top notes and if you like this one I will do more

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k347 · 4 years

Note

Hello Evanstan Shippers, I got some questions for you ❤️

1-What was your first impression on EvanStan?

2- What did you like or love about This Ship?

3-How did your love for them start?

4-Can you Show the your favorite moment between them?

5- would you Rather get married to one of them or see them marry each other? Lol

I love this ask 😘

First Impressions-

With Chris, the first movie I saw was Puncture and thought he was phenomenal. Seb, I knew him from the Gossip Girl days...

The first 'Evanstan' impression though it is from TFA press tour (I am sorry I can't't find the video at the time. But one Interviewer mentions good looks or something and Chris goes "Oh yeah, there are a lot of good-looking guys in this film. Tom Cooper, Sebastian Staaaan (he lights up after saying Seb's name, clicks his toungue makes a 'tch tch tch' sound while pursing his lips & showing the thumbs up 👍 sign and winks. He winked. I really need to find this video man, some help from anyone who is interested would be really appreciated 😊) Plus we also have the infamous "At least you got a Hot costar...I agree... oh I thought you meant Sebastian Stan. This is awkward" moment and the "Moobs? Is that what you call them? I don't know but I feel like you could drive a car on Chris' pecs or something (laughs and blushes)" moment from that same press tour. Chris with his massive build, bed-head look of messed up hair in red flannels and cozy sweaters plus Sebastian in the flimsiest translucent white shirt with a total twink! look accessorized by full red lips, peaking chest hair and silver rings. That was my first impression. (you can probably tell why I was captivated and remain so to this day)

What I love/like about the ship -

I love how the irl bond they share is so much different and beyond the typical bro- bashfulness, playful-competition kind of relationships we see developing between male co-stars all the time. The way Chris and Seb talk about eachother, behave around eachother has a certain gentle, earnest tone to it. Their mutual respect, sweetly cheering on the other, subtle caring and protective nature and (dare I say it) the emotional intimacy between them; it gives me all the feels.... Happy tingling sensations in my heart💓

another reason I love this ship so much is the fandom & all the amazing people involved in it. @musette22 @luninosity @ixalit @lethal-desires @paper-storm @darter-blue @wintersoldier1989 @hellobeautworld @kazablanka96 @kalee60 @loricameback @seb-stan-lover @trekchik @thebestpersonherelovesbucky @mybuckymybuddy these and many many other talented folks with their amazing creative content, arts and dedication keep this ship sailing with grace and make me fall in love with it even more with each passing day ❤️

How did my love for them start-

I have to admit, even though I was Intrigued by TFA press stuff, I wasn't a 'shipper' till I saw Captain America: The Winter Soldier. That movie truly is a masterpiece. It speaks volumes about the relationship between Steve and Bucky, their deep connection, how they are inseparable parts of eachother's life. One is left crippling without presence of the other. I truly do believe that the onscreen Stucky relationship was portrayed so well and in such a heart-achingly beautiful manner because of the off-screen Evanstan chemistry. That film marked the start of my fondness for both Evanstan & Stucky.

Favourite Moment-

I could make an argument for every evanstan moment actually 😅 but still if I have to choose one... I'll say (for purely selfish reasons) the Lobby Hero Premiere Night. I think at the time, we were almost fully convinced (and very sad) that there'll be no new Evanstan content from IW press tour.

But then Sebastian Stan, being 'Sebastian Stan', did the most Sebastian-Stan-Thing-Possible 😅 he went to cheer on and support Chris with his first Broadway venture. A few marvel actors and Chris' friends went to see that play actually. But Seb was the only one who made it a point to attend the first show, the premiere night. Did the carpet and attended the after-party with Chris. I think it's pretty sweet he carefully remembered the premiere date, cleared his schedule and made time to be there. Plus we also got a rather close and intimate Evanstan hug+convo💞

And then in all the next comic con interviews he did, Seb was like..."Go see Lobby Hero. It's great! I loved it. If you go to New York in this time period, don't miss the chance to see Lobby Hero. Lobby Hero. Chris is great in it." I swear, it was the cutest thing ever ( remember when he kept promoting lobby hero even after it had ended 😅.)

Look at thier stance and smiles. They look like such proud boyfriends in all these pics . Theatre nerds♥

Would I rather...Hmmmm 😉

As tempting as the offer sounds, I'd rather see them marry eachother. Anytime. Each time. Everytime. Seriously. Man, It'd be such a dream come true moment if that actually happened. Evanstan wedding 💍💍 oh my god, you're giving me so many ideas...

(Plus I really don't want to be that person who comes between two soulmates, marvel's clearly done enough in that department for a whole lifetime 🙄)

Sorry I didn't mean to end such a beautiful trip down the memory lane on a bitter note 🙃 Here's one of my favourite Evanstan gifs to make it better...

Close and Intimate hugs. Burrying head in the crook of his neck and that hand caressing the back of head, fingers running through his hair 😍

Isn't this what True Love is supposed to look like?

#evanstan #ask #anon #thank you so much for this series of beautiful questions 💕#chris evans #sebastian stan #steve rogers #bucky barnes #stucky #rpf #marvel #first impressions #favourite moments #why I love them #k347

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dustyard · 4 years

Text

Pride and Prejudice Dæmons

I reread Pride and Prejudice for the thousandth time this weekend, so have some dæmon headcanons for (almost all of) the characters! Keep in mind all forms have positives and negatives, and some of these characters simply portray certain animal’s characteristics in a negative way. That doesn’t make everybody who has these traits bad.

Elizabeth Bennet: Red Fox

I’m just saying, Elizabeth is basically the OG red fox character. Socially flexible, adaptable, intelligent, just a bit mischievous, confidant... She’s the whole package. In fact, in a world where dæmons existed, I would argue that Elizabeth would be the reason red foxes are such a popular form. At this time period, foxes in Britain were treated like vermin, and you’ll notice in the novel that Elizabeth is not often well-liked due to her sarcastic, unimpressed attitude.

Fitzwilliam Darcy: Friesian horse

Now I know Friesians are a pretty stereotypical horse-girl choice, but I think they fit Darcy well. Horses in general are socially selective, so while they do need and want socialization, they only want it with very specific people. Friesians specifically are dependable, intelligent, and loyal, which are key parts of Darcy's characterization, but being horses are also prone to anxiety and nervousness, which pretty accurately sums up our resident man with social anxiety. Being herd animals, horses are also relatively attentive to social status, which is a trait Darcy struggles with throughout the novel. Also, much like Friesians, Darcy seems intimidating and aloof but is really just a bit vain and shy.

Jane Bennet: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Beautiful, sweet, social, patient, and bred entirely to be a lovely companion to a wealthy person. Jane is a lady through and through, soft-natured and kind-hearted; she’s never thought a cruel thing about anyone in her life.

Charlotte Lucas: Western Jackdaw

Plain to look at but intelligent and resourceful, jackdaws fit Charlotte's characterization perfectly. She’s perceptive, concerned with social status, ambitious, and adaptable, all of which are jackdaw traits. She’s also empathetic and friendly, which fit these sociable birds well.

Mr. Bingley: Golden Retriever

You know I’m right. There is not a thought in that man’s head the whole book, just happiness and sunshine.

Mrs. Bennet: Pond Olive Mayfly

Her whole purpose in the novel is dedicating herself to the success of her daughters, and she does smashingly well with marrying them off. She is mostly harmless, but she can be irritating. There is also a pretty strong implication in the novel that Mrs. Bennet married Mr. Bennet fast and young, and that she feels a bit like her life basically was over once she was married, and mayflies only live for about two weeks... you can probably read into the symbolism there.

Mr. Bennet: Domestic cat

More of an introvert than the rest of his family, intelligent, a bit aloof despite the fact that he does really love his daughters (especially Elizabeth), intelligent, and enjoyable grumpy and sarcastic, he is a cat person. I picture him with a slightly scruffy tabby that just wants to nap and be left alone.

Lydia Bennet: Unsettled (she’s fifteen), but probably some type of bird (we don’t see enough of her as an adult for me to form a solid opinion)

Lydia is the definition of the pretty bird in the gilded cage. She’s ambitious and competitive, as well as a bit of a show-off, but she never quite manages to grow out of her naiveté. She’s likes pretty forms, or ones that she thinks make her look high-class, though often her dæmon has trouble holding them for too long. She’s flighty and unreliable, and it’s hard for her attention to be held on any one thing for too long, including her dæmon’s settled form.

Kitty Bennet: Unsettled (seventeen), again, we don’t really see her in adulthood

Kitty’s sweet and social, but she’s also quite naïve, gullible, vain, and she likes drama. She isn’t very strong-minded, usually just following along with whatever Lydia’s doing. Much like her sister, she likes to have her dæmon take on pretty forms that she never quite knows what to do with. When she does settle, she will probably be disappointed, having hoped for a flashy, fancy form.

Mary Bennet: Little Owl

Mary is intelligent, but she’s also frequently condescending and socially unaware, though she is communicative. She also very much has Middle Child Syndrome. She’s dutiful and self-sufficient, but she never catches much attention because she’s considered rather plain and uninspired. Mostly she’s just young and wants to be noticed by people, because her parents don’t pay much attention to her. Her dæmon reflects her dutifulness, but also her general selfishness; it’s not that Mary doesn’t love her sisters, but she is a bit envious of them.

Lady Catherine de Bourgh: Brakel Rooster

Opinionated, traditional, obsessed with social standing, vain, and prideful, as well as surprisingly aggressive and territorial, Lady Catherine would absolutely have a chicken dæmon and none of you can convince me otherwise.

Caroline Bingley: Scarlet Darter

Dragonflies are notoriously impressive hunters from a young age, and Caroline is capable, and rather ruthless. Scarlet darters are migratory insects, and like her dæmon, Caroline is always seeking out the most advantageous situation for herself. Dragonflies are also territorial (especially males), and Caroline certainly likes to stake her claim on that which she believes is hers by right.

George Wickham: Stoat

Stoat’s are resourceful, confident, prideful little animals who are capable of manipulating the people around them very successfully. Wickham is unfortunately an example of the ways stoat traits can can negatively affect the people around him. He’s smart, and puts on an attractive front, but he’s concerned first and foremost with himself, and is not afraid to lie, cheat, and ruin the reputation of a young girl to get it.

Emma Woodhouse: Indian Blue Peafowl (male) I know she’s not in P&P but I had to add her

If there was ever a person whose dæmon would fit the form of a peacock, it would be our lovely Miss Woodhouse. Vain, a show-off, judgemental, social (in an interesting way), well-versed in social hierarchy, but ultimately pretty harmless, there really isn’t any other form I can imagine her dæmon settling as. She would probably also appreciated the added “exotic” appearance her dæmon’s form would seem to give her.

#dæmons #pride and prejudice #also fun fact: charlotte lucas is a lesbian #there is textual evidence of this #all the animals are either native to the UK or are animals they would have known about in the early 1800s

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twistedlymad · 4 years

Text

What if you became a mouse? (Ft. Ace, Deuce, Grim, Ruggie, Kalim and Jamil) (Part 2/2)

Here is part 2 of this request!

You were running around aimlessly. The only thing on your mind was to get away from that creature! So, you unknowingly ran to the hall of mirrors. Since you were too focused on seeing whether the furball had followed you, you had ran into one of the mirrors that led to a dormitory.

More specifically, the dormitory founded on the meticulous planning of the Sorcerer of the Sand, Scarabia.

When you arrived, you were greeted with a blazing sun. You immediately searched for anything that would provide some shade to hide you away from the light and heat. Once you did, you tried to give yourself a break after running what seemed like a marathon to you.

While you were resting, you noticed there was a new shade in front of you… The shape of the shade was quite familiar but you couldn’t figure out what it was. The shade had this long nose and big ears! So, being curious, you decided to inspect this new shade.

“I still don’t understand why you’ve brought in 100 elephants Kalim.” Jamil said as he and several other Scarabia dorm members tended to the elephants.

“Because! My family has a lot of pet elephants! And I’ve gathered a few of them today for the party later!” Replied the cheerful dorm leader, Kalim. Jamil let out a sigh as he tended to one of the elephants.

The exact elephant that made the shade you were inspecting. As you stepped into the shade of the elephant, you looked up in curiosity to see the elephant eating. It didn’t take the elephant too long to notice your presence though.

And once it did…

Trumpet-like sounds blared in your ears as the elephant panics around, alerting all the other elephants surrounding it. And because of the elephant’s actions, you were in a state of shock to fully understand what was happening.

“J-JAMIL, WHAT’S GOING ON?!” Kalim asked.

“I don’t know! One of them suddenly got scared! Quick, everyone! Calm the elephants down!” Jamil gave orders to his dorm members.

Meanwhile, Ruggie, Ace, Deuce and Grim had just arrived at Scarabia in hopes of finding you here. They had asked a few students on the way here on whether or not they had seen a (H/C) mouse running about. Thankfully, a Diasomnia dorm member had seen you running into the mirror that led to Scarabia as he was going back to his dorm. Though, they had to shake him a couple of times while he was describing what he saw as he would suddenly fall asleep.

“Are we sure (Y/N) is here?” Ace asked the other three.

“We can only count on what that senpai had just said.” Deuce replied.

“But, Scarabia is so big! It’s going to take forever to find a small little mouse!” Grim groaned.

“I’m not quite sure on that, look.” Ruggie said as he pointed to the parade of elephants freaking out and about. Ace, Deuce and Grim’s jaws dropped as they saw the chaos happening in the dorm.

“We better go check it out.” Ace said and they all ran in the direction loud trumpets and heavy footsteps.

Once they got there, they were greeted with a flood of elephants and students running in every direction possible. Jamil and a few students were rounding up the elephants while Kalim and two students were trying to calm every elephant down.

“Jamil, what’s going on?” Ruggie asked his friend.

“I don’t know either! The elephants suddenly started to go in a frenzy, as if they had been spooked by something.” Jamil replied while using his magic to round up two elephants by making a fence.

“What could possibly spook them this hard?” Ace asked out loud.

“These elephants aren’t easily spooked at all! My relatives said they only get spooked when they see a mouse or a rat. That’s why we had to make sure no rats or mice were around in Scarabia.” Kalim said as he managed to calm the two elephants that Jamil had rounded up.

“Mouse?” Ruggie, Ace, Deuce and Grim deadpanned.

“Yes, a mouse, why?” Kalim asked.

“We uh… May or may not have let a mouse run into here.” Ace said and Scarabia’s dorm leader and vice dorm leader’s eyes widen.

“What? We have to find it and capture it before it spooks any more elephants!” Said Kalim.

“But how?” Ruggie asked. “It’s going to be hard for us to find a small little mouse in this situation.” Ruggie added. So, everyone was trying to come up with a plan to find you in an efficient way.

While doing so, Grim had caught something in the corner of his eye.

Something… (H/C) and small. The furball immediately turned his head to look at what had peeked his interest. It was you! Standing there on all fours, looking at the panicking elephants and students.

“Guys! There she is!” Grim shouted to the two first-years and three second-years.

“Wait, she?” Kalim asked.

“I’ll explain to you later, for now, let’s focus in catching her.” Ruggie replied to Kalim and everyone was rushing towards you.

You were still staring at the elephant as it scurried around here and there. You snapped back to your senses when it let out another blaring trumpet. And just in time too, as you saw a group of students coming after you from afar. You jumped a little before getting on all fours and running away.

“Why does she have to run away?!” Grim asked while panting.

“How would you feel if a group of giants suddenly started to chase you?” Ruggie asked the furball.

“Ahh… I see…” Grim said as he reminisced all the times he was chased by the students of Night Raven College.

Thanks to your small size, you were able to navigate your way through the stampede of elephants with ease. The boys however, had a hard time.

“Argh!! We’ll never catch her at this rate!” Ace yelled out as he saw you scurrying away. Kalim’s eyes darter around to see what could help them in this situation. His eyes landed on a nearby room. A plan hatched inside Scarabia’s Dorm Leader.

“Wait here everyone!” Kalim said and rushed into the room. Everyone was confused, what was Kalim doing? It took awhile before Jamil had taken a good look at the room that Kalim had went into. A small smile crept onto his face.

“Don’t worry, he knows what he’s doing.” Jamil assured the group. It didn’t take too long before Kalim emerged from the room riding a flying carpet.

“W-What?” Deuce asked.

“No time to talk, hop on!” And everyone was ushered on to the carpet.

With the extra altitude, everyone was able to see the ground more clearly. Ruggie had spotted you soon after and told Kalim to steer to your direction. You had no idea that there was a carpet on your tail as you were too preoccupied with not getting squished by a giant elephant. Once the carpet was close enough, Jamil had readied his magic pen and he casted a spell towards your small body.

You had been trapped, in a cage, made of magic. You squirmed around frantically, fearing for your life as the carpet settled down and the group of students began to walk over to you.

Everyone was so… Gigantic to you. Of course it would frighten little ol’ you. But your vision was suddenly blackened. It seemed like something was covering your cage.

“That should do it.” Ace said as he draped a coat over your cage.

“You should get (Y/N) to Professor Crewel. I’ll stay back and help Scarabia.” Ruggie said, slightly glaring at the two first-years. Their heads lowered.

“Yes, senpai.” And with that, Ace, Deuce and Grim scurried off to find the alchemy professor.

“What happened though?” Kalim asked Ruggie. The latter snickered.

“It’s a long story…” Ruggie started and proceeded to tell the tale of how you became a mouse whilst helping with the elephants.

After a scolding by professor Crewel and a 30-minute wait, Ace and Deuce had finally gotten their hands on an antidote and gave it to you. Within seconds you transformed back to your human body (fully-clothed mind you J ).

“What? Why am I here?” You asked your three best friends.

“No reason.” Ace smiled to you.

But, Deuce admitted the truth to you after five minutes of Ace trying to persuade you in thinking that your punch went wrong.

Cue Ace almost wanting to smack Deuce again.

You just gave them a smile when they apologized, however, you had made punch again the next day.

“If you want my forgiveness, drink the entire thing. Bye!” Were your words as you left with Grim to go to your next class.

The two Heartslabyul dorm members just stared at the punch before each taking a sip. Two shouts of ‘BLEUGH!’ can be heard in the cafeteria.

You see, you had made a special type of punch, cheese punch. How did you make it? I have no idea, you should also tell me the recipe too reader-san!

You also slightly punished Ruggie for stealing swapping the two first-year’s lunches. What did you make him do? Simple, you made him cook for you and Grim for a week.

And with that, everything is settled in your favor.

Good for you :)

#disney twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland fic #twisted wonderland x reader #twst #twisted wonderland imagines #twst x reader #ruggie bucchi #kalim al asim #jamil viper #ace trappola #deuce spade #grim #mc/yuu

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